The Chronicle
Lungile Tshuma
GENDER equality has been at the centre of debate nationally and globally for many years. A lot of dust is raised when power relations are under discussion. In politics, gender equality has seen feminists and gender activists take a leading role in calling for equal representation and respect for women, as they say they too have the potential to develop the country as much as men.
In every election across the globe, groups advocating for women’s rights will be busy mobilising women and encouraging them to take part in elections and contest as men do. With so much effort one could believe that after an election, women will dominate parliaments but this is a dream which could take years to realise.
For Zimbabwe, a country with the highest literacy rate in Africa, women participation in politics remains very low. This is despite the fact that positive steps have been taken in promoting the culture of gender equality. Some women are now occupying high positions in society, these include Justice Rita Makarau heading the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and in politics, provincial ministers and Cabinet ministers too include women.
However, some people were unhappy with the appointment of three women out of the 26 Cabinet ministers. Women who are part of Cabinet are Cde Oppah Muchinguri for Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Dr Olivia Muchena as the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and Cde Sithembiso Nyoni who retained her Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development. Two women were appointed as Provincial Ministers of State and these are Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo and Cde Miriam Chikukwa for Bulawayo and Harare metropolitan provinces respectively.
With due respect to those who wanted more women to be part of Cabinet, the fact is that those few women who were appointed are a clear representation of what is on the ground. Few women are actively participating in politics and for most of them their participation is through attending rallies only where they will be supporting men and whom they again vote for. Surprisingly, women will then come and call for their voice to be heard at all decision making stages.
For this Parliament, women should thank the proportional representation and the zebra system which was for the Lower House and Upper House respectively. Without that, fewer women would be in both houses.
Studies by Sadc indicate that a number of countries, including Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, have on average more than 30 percent women’s representation in parliament. In Lesotho, 58 percent of local government positions are held by women.
Women’s participation in politics remains low and one wonders whether Zimbabwe will be able to ensure that men and women share 50 percent representation in the political arena by 2015 in line with the Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development. Article 12 of the Sadc Protocol on Gender and Development (2008) requires that “States Parties shall endeavour that, by 2015, at least 50 percent of decision-making positions in the public and private sectors are held by women”.
With the 2013 election now water under the bridge, those who lost are now looking forward for 2018 which might look so far yet so near. Those with foresight are already putting their houses in order. The sooner women realise that houses built on shaky ground will come crumbling down no matter how magnificent they look, the better. They should start preparing for next elections now. This is the time for women to put strong foundations that will enable them to stand for the 2018 election.
Women in Politics Support Unit (WiPSU) executive director, Ms Prisca Mudondo, said her organisation is running a programme aimed at mobilising women for the coming elections. She encouraged women to aim higher and to put their past behind them and use 2018 to turn the tables so that the august House is for the first time, dominated by women.
She said in Rwanda women are the majority parliamentarians. If Rwanda, a fellow African country can do it, Zimbabwe can do much better than them. In Rwanda 56,3 percent of parliamentarians are women, which makes that country the best in the world in promoting women’s participation in politics.
“All our programming is aimed at preparing women for elections,” she said. “We believe that women should campaign for themselves individually and for other women as well by delivering real development for women and men in their constituencies from the moment they are elected.”
She also said their programmes begin with the personal empowerment programme that work on the individuals’ growth. Constituency effectiveness programme, capacity building, campaigns and advocacy programmes all work together to push the agenda for equal representation which culminates in the elections, she said.
Asked why is it that in every election few women take part and contest alongside with men, she said:
“More and more women continue to put themselves forward for elections. However women continue to be faced by various stumbling blocks that result in few women succeeding at primary elections. Electioneering needs resources and women in this country are still challenged economically. Political will on the part of the men in political parties is and remains a challenge”.
However, Ms Mudondo called upon political parties to align their constitutions with the country’s constitution, which has many clauses that are meant to support gender equality.
Said Ms Mudondo:
“There is a need for political parties to align their party constitutions with the new constitution of the country. They also need to make sure that they implement their policies in the spirit in which they were crafted at all times”.
University of Zimbabwe political scientist, Dr Charity Manyeruke, said promoting women participation in politics is a culture that needs to be cultivated by political parties as laws and other policies might not help.
“Women participation should begin from political party’s cells where there are quotas for women and from there the same system should also be done at provincial level up to national level. Even if quotas are to be used, there must also be strong will from men to support women,” said Dr Manyeruke.
She added that society has not invested trust in women. This is due to failure of the Government to put women in demanding positions.
“In the next Cabinet the President must appoint women to head powerful ministries that include, ministers of finance, defence, foreign affairs, home affairs and also youth, indigenisation and economic empowerment. Through these appointments society will change its mindset and perception about women. People will realise that women can too perform same duties as their male counterparts,” she said.
Some African countries with women holding powerful ministerial portfolios or once held powerful ministries include Nigeria where its Minister of Finance is a woman, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo. South Africa has a female Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and Gabon from 2009-2011 had a female Defence Minister, Angélique Ngoma.
